In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of nectarine, peach, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been denominated varietally as "Crimson Lady". The present variety was hybridized in 1984 by us in a cultivated area of our experimental orchard at Bradford Farms near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). It was developed by crossing two unnamed peach seedlings, the seed parent having Red Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,165) nectarine as a seed parent and Springcrest (unpatented) peach as a pollen parent. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects.
The fruit produced by the present peach variety most closely resembles one of its grandparents, Springcrest (unpatented) peach, by being large in size, heavy in production, and early maturing, but is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon by having almost full red skin color at ripening time, by being clingstone in type, by having excellent sweet flavor, by ripening 7 days later, and by being extremely firm and non-melting in texture.
The present variety exhibits desirable characteristics common to its other grandparent, Red Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,165) nectarine, by producing firm fruit that is nearly full red at harvest time, but noticeably differs by being a peach instead of a nectarine, by being clingstone instead of freestone, by having a large blossom instead of a small blossom, and by ripening about 28 days earlier.